Interlocking divider and molding assembly



Feb. 13, 1962 M. IMMERMANN INTERLOCKING DIVIDER AND MOLDING ASSEMBLYFiled March 15, 1960 FIG.

I N V EN TOR. ML ra/v J/w/AW/MA/A 07114 Mix/L 444% ATTO/P/VEK! UnitedStates Patent Filed Mar. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 15,099 2 Claims. (Cl.312-4403) This invention relates generally to molding and dividerdevices, and more particularly to an interlocking divider and moldingassembly for use principally in display cabinets.

Cabinets of the type commonly used in food stores for displaying thefood available for purchase of necessity are designed so that a singlecabinet can be used to display a variety of products. It is generallyuseful, and often essential, to separate the variousproducts within aparticular cabinet. When such cabinets are provided in selfservicestores, the display in addition to being pleasing to the eye must befunctional, so that a user upon determining that he wishes to purchase aproduct within the cabinet can have ready access to that product. Hence,products within a food display cabinet, in self-service stores,generally are separated in such a manner that different products areplaced along side of each other, rather than one behind the other, andit has become the custom to separate the various products by outwardlyprojecting dividers.

The dividers generally used have taken many forms; the simplest being asimple vertical divider projecting outwardly from the rear wall of thecabinet.

Since the use of the display cabinet is to make available a variety ofproducts, it is necessary that the products be clearly marked, givingthe name of the product and also the price at which the product isselling. Hence, when meat is sold it would be priced at so much perpound. In display cabinets, it has been the custom to place the markingsof the product in a molding which is attached to the rear inside wall ofthe cabinet. The reason molding is utilized is so that the markings canbe easily changed when the product is changed or the price changes. Theproblem which has arisen with the markings so placed has been that theyoften cannot be seen until the consumer is directly in front of thedisplay cabinet, so that it is difiicult for the consumer to go directlyto the product which she wants. Also, since the customer approaches thedisplay cabinet from the side, she often gets the visual impression of aproduct marking or price marking designating a product other than theproduct which it is actually intended. This results, of course, from thefact that the markings are placed on the rear of the cabinet and cannotbe truly seen and accurately placed by the eye unless the observer isstanding directly in front of the cabinet.

This invention eliminates these problems, since it provides for readyseparation of the various products and allows for marking the individualproducts in such a manner that the marking which applies to a particularproduct is definitely identified with that product. Also, it may be seenfrom the side as the consumer approaches the cabinet along the aisle sothat it is not necessary for a realistic viewing for the customer to bedirectly in front of the display cabinet.

The invention herein disclosed has as its principal object the provisionof an interlocking divider and molding assembly which will separategoods within a cabinet and allow for clear and easy discerning of thedesignations of the particular goods.

An interlocking divider and molding assembly embodying the invention,and the manner of using the same is described herein with references tothe drawings in which:

seams Patented Feb. 13, 1962.

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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display cabinet utilizing theinterlocking divider and molding assembly which is the subject of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective fragmentary view of one of theinterlocking divider and molding assemblies shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the interlockingdivider and molding assemblies shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the mannerin which the members interlock to form a unit;

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 44 in thedirection of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an inverted fragmentary perspective view of one of the moldingmembers shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 a display cabinet utilizing my invention is shown and isdesignated generally by the numeral 10. The display cabinet consists ofa substantially rectangular vertically disposed back member 11, frontmember 12 and side members 13 and 14. The front member does not extendupward quite as far as rear panel 11 and sides 13 and 14 so that atransparent glass member 15 can be inserted in the front portion of thecabinet to enable a person to more readily view the contents thereof.The cabinet is open at the top giving both ready visibility as well asaccessibility to the products within. A floor portion 16 is disposedhorizontally within the cabinet at about the level of the lower edge ofglass 15.

The floor portion has vertically disposed thereon, projecting outwardlyfrom the surface lla of rear member '11, a number of interlockingdivider and molding assemblies which comprise this invention. There aresix dividers shown which are designated by the numerals 17, 18, 19, 20,21 and 2.2 and each has interlocked therewith in a manner which will beexplained below, a corresponding molding which is given the same numeralas the divider with the letter a following. Thus, the moldings shown aredesignated 17a through 22a.

Since each of the dividers is disposed perpendicular to back member 11and floor member 16, the cabinet has been divided into seven spaces orcompartments for the reception of a food product or other types ofproducts.

The specific display cabinet 10 shown in FIG. 1 is designed primarily todisplay frozen food products, although other products might be displayedwithin. It is noted that the molding members disposed within the cabinetare clearly visible and any tags or product designations placed thereinare also clearly visible to a prospective customer passing in front ofthe cabinet.

The moldings which will be described below in detail enable the priceand product designations to be placed to identify clearly the particularsection or space within the display cabinet.

Thus, for example, tag 23 is shown within molding 19a designating eitherthe product or the price of food contained within the space betweendividers 18 and 19. Prior to this invention a molding was applied to theinner face 11a of the rear wall and molding tags placed within themolding were utilized to designate the products within the variousspaces between the dividers. Although such previous assembly is notshown in the drawings, it is obvious that designating products in such amanner results in confusion, since the consumer will pass in front ofthe display cabinet by approaching it from either of its sides. Thus, inthe previous method, as a prospective customer approached cabinet it},it would be impossible for her to know definitely the product andpricing of the material lying between dividers l8 and 19 until she canstand substantially directly in front of display cabinet 10.

In the remaining drawings, the interlocking divider and molding assemblyis shown in greater detail. Divider 3 19 and molding 19a are illustratedin FIGS. 2 through 4, and molding 19a is shown alone in FIG. 5.

The molding consists of a face portion 24 which is of the ordinary typehaving an upper lip 25 and a lower lip 26 with each of the lips turnedin over face 24 to form upper and lower channels for reception of theupper and lower edges of indicating card 23 inserted therein with thebody thereof flush against face 24 of the molding. The other side ofmolding 19a is formed with face 27 identical with face 24 but formingtherewith a slight angle. Each of faces 24 and 27 is formed arcuatelywith its arc radius extending away from the molding.

Lip 25 is extended at the end where faces 24 and 27 join to formintegral therewith a lip 28 which overlies the upper portion of face 27.The lower portion of face 27 is formed with lip 29 overlying a portionof it so that lips 28 and 29 form upper and lower channels respectivelyfor the reception of the upper and lower edges of a tag such as 23.

The molding is shown in inverted position in FIG. and the two moldingfaces 24 and 27 which can also be referred to as the sides of themolding join at their upper portion where lips 25 and 28 are integral.The lower ends of these molding faces as seen in FIG. 4 and in FIG. 5are separated from one another by shoulder portions 30 and 31 on thefaces opposite lips 26 and 29, respectively. Above shoulders 38 and 31 aslot 32 is defined by inwardly extending parts. This slot afiordscommunication with a larger space which lies between faces 24 and 27.This larger space is designated with the numeral 33 and is formedsubstantially triangular. The triangular space 33 communicates with thesurrounding atmosphere through slot 32.

Divider 19 is formed with a substantially flat rectangular base 34 uponwhich is positioned a vertical member 35 which terminates at its uppersurface in a triangular cross section 35 which appears from the side asan arrow head.

The vertical portion 35 is shown in the drawings as ribbed with panelsthereof taking slightly different directions. The lowermost panel 37forms an angle beyond the perpendicular with the base 34 and panel 38above panel 37 forms a slight angle with panel 37, and so forth, givinga somewhat corrugated appearance to the divider. It is not necessarythat such be the case, it is merely necessary that the divider be formedwith a triangular or increased width insertion member 36.

In use, generally the divider has been applied in position within acabinet and it is desired to place the molding thereon. The molding isinserted upon the divider by placing the molding at one end of thedivider and applying the insertion member 36 within the reception area33 so that the member 36 can be received in this area. The molding isthen slid onto the divider or to the left as shown in FIG. 2. After thispositioning has been effected, the molding will be held firmly upon thedivider, since the surfaces of the molding bear firmly against the facesof the insertion member 36 within the reception area 33.

The divider can be formed of any suitable material such as plastic,metal or even cardboard. Likewise, the insertion member 36 might beformed with a rectangular, circular, or octagonal cross section. Iprefer to form it in a triangular cross section giving the appearancefrom the side of an arrow head. The requirement only is that the moldingbe formed with a complementary female or receptive section so that whenthe molding is applied to the divider there be a snug fit.

Thus, among others, the several objects in the invention as specificallyaforenoted, are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in constructionand rearrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a merchandise divider comprising a vertical body, anenlarged portion at the upper end of said body and extendinglongitudinally thereof, a molding formed with a longitudinally extendingcavity and having a slot midway of its lower face affording accessthereto, said slot having a width greaterthan the thickness of thedivider body below said enlarged portion but less than the width of thelatter, said cavity in cross section presenting an area of greater sizethan a configuration complementary to said enlarged portion, the moldinginterlocking with said divider against detachment therefrom by theintroduction of said enlarged portion into an end of said cavity and themoving of the molding and divider longitudinally of each other toslidably mount the molding upon the divider, said enlarged portion beingtriangular in section with upwardly extending side faces inclinedtowards each other, card retaining lips extending upwardly adjacent theupper and lower edges of said faces and with the lower lips positionedbelow said slot.

2. In the combination as defined in claim 1,. a plurality of panelsincluded in said vertical body and adjacent panels having their facesextending at angles with respect to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS891,505 Smith June 23, 1908 1,232,747 Yochim July 10, 1917 1,317,589Noziska Sept. 30, 1919 2,151,359 Schmitz Mar. 21, 1939 2,601,026 JonesJune 17, 1952 2,847,776 Robertson Aug. 19, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,090Switzerland Sept. 30, 1934

